Colon motility during a panic attack.

OBJECTIVE

To document the temporal relationship between a panic attack and high amplitude propagating contractions.

METHODS

Colon manometry was used to discriminate between functional defecation problems and colon neuromuscular disease. By chance, the patent developed a panic attack during the test session.

RESULTS

Coincident with the panic attack, there was a continuous series of high amplitude propagating contractions. There were 15 high amplitude propagating contractions over 45 minutes, initially at a rate of 4 per 10 minutes, gradually slowing to 1.5 per 10 minutes.

CONCLUSIONS

These data may explain the cause for gastrointestinal distress and diarrhea in some patients with panic attacks.